The coronavirus has been a thorn in the movie business but this time around, Godzilla vs King Kong could be a sign of great things to come as the film and theatre industry starts to regain its footing after a long struggle during the pandemic.
Critics and investors alike, more so Hollywood have kept a close eye on any movie that offers insights into the film industry’s current climate and whether there’s a chance for a bounce back after the pandemic hit. Godzilla vs King Kong could be what they need to make tough decisions head.
The movie sees two monsters, a radioactive lizard and a giant ape go ahead in a battle to the death for roughly an hour and 53 minutes. And if love to watch two monsters go at each other with brutal force then Godzilla vs King Kong is right up your corner.
What makes this title very interesting is that despite the previous let downs and poor performances many movies have suffered at the box office due to the pandemic, Warner Bros. might see its title make some good money once it hits domestic theatres on Wednesday.
The film will also stream on platforms like HBO Max and is expected to make about $20 million over the holiday weekend. Though that is a very low number for a movie that had a budget close to $100 t0 200 million, the numbers still make it a potential monster hit at box office openings of the pandemic.
As countries continue to increase their vaccination drives, more people are expected to return to the theatres soon while other studios have begun to resume their schedules for movies that had been put on hold seeing a bright future ahead for an industry that has been hit hard since the pandemic.
“‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is important both financially and symbolically for a movie theatre industry that has been shaken to its core by the pandemic,” Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, told CNN Business. “This weekend’s debut provides a real-time opportunity to gauge consumer enthusiasm for a film that truly warrants a big-screen experience, while also being available at home just a click and a subscription away.”
“Godzilla vs. Kong” may be the eye-opener for good things to come in the film industry
Warner Bros. has its fingers crossed and highly anticipates that its monster movie may actually do well at the weekend Easter holiday since many people will be home ready to stream it online or some will head to the closest theatre to catch it on the big screen.
For Warner Bros., “Godzilla vs. Kong” already looks like a success. The film opened last week in China with a powerful debut earning roughly $70 million reports CNN.
As of now, the film has already made more than $120 million at the global box office. It should be noted that Warner Bros. monster verse series such as “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” made $394 million worldwide in 2019, according to Comscore, which was before the pandemic hit.
The strong performance in China alone indicates that there is a chance the movie could be a hit in the US too, despite the fact that theatre owners have struggled to find audiences for more than a year with movies like “Tenet”, “Tom and Jerry”, including “The Croods: A New Age” had mixed results.
“Godzilla vs. Kong” is arriving just as the tide seems to be turning for movie attendance. “Hollywood needs more popcorn flicks in theatres if it wants to cultivate a revival,” according to Jeff Bock, a senior analyst at entertainment research firm Exhibitor Relations.
“The return-to-form is a Catch-22 for the industry, as none of the big-budget releases thus far have met studio expectations in terms of overall grosses,” Bock said. “To resonate with general audiences, the film industry needs blockbuster content. Pure and simple.”
“The monstrous opening [in China] last weekend certainly helped engage prospective audiences and helped continue to build a buzz in North America where theatres have been open but struggling,” Bock added. “With another large opening weekend, it will be a clear signal to studios that audiences not only feel safe returning to theatres but will support blockbuster-sized offerings this summer.”
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Author: Allan Bangirana
Allan Bangirana has a taste for all kinds of topics and usually writes about tech, entertainment, sports and community projects that make a difference in society.
He writes for Newslibre and Spur Magazine. He is also the co-founder of the Innovware project and a freelance consultant passionate about technology and web.
